Civil Society Roots
About the Civil Society Roots programme
How do individuals and groups, working to tackle inequality, best work together?
How can community organisations who are working on the frontline best support their development and capacity needs?
How can activity to build strong communities in a local area be greater than the sum of its parts?
What is the best way to ensure work to tackle inequality also builds solidarity across different groups?
Civil Society Roots 3 was launched in 2022 to strengthen civic infrastructure which focuses on relationship building, networking and the development of collective voice and advocacy for the organisations it supports.
The programme recognises the role of equity-led infrastructure organisations and activity in helping achieve our ambitions of a thriving civil society. Especially activity that helps:
- develop the work and capacity of other specialist, equity-led organisations and groups
- advocate on behalf of the sector and the communities they serve
- facilitate networks to enable collaboration, learning and strategic coordination
- connect local organisations to funders and corporate giving.
Civil Society Roots 3 - Round Two
Following the successful launch of Round One of the Civil Society Roots 3 funding programme, The Mayor of London, in partnership with City Bridge Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) invited equity-led organisations to invest in their roots and foundations by applying for Round Two of the Civil Society Roots 3 programme.
Round Two of the programme is funding ideas of equity led groups which develop new sectoral or cross sectoral partnerships, invest in capacity building, research or training or enable space and time to think about what our communities need most.
The funding is specifically aimed at supporting organisations to be in a stronger place to respond to and serve the increasing and ever-changing needs of our communities and is not for delivery of front-line activity.
Round Two grantees
21 organisations were awarded grants in round two of the Civil Society Roots 3 programme (2023-24).
Successful organisations in this round include Hillingdon Women's centre, an initiative which helps empower women-led community groups in the borough; Suvai Deaf East Community in Redbridge, who advocate on behalf of d/Deaf and disabled Londoners; and the Sound Minds mental health project in Wandsworth which intends to use funding to establish a network and forum that connects service users, their families, and related organisations. The new cohort also includes 7 of 2022/23 development grants recipients.
Explore the recipients and their projects below:
OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach Ltd
Grant amount: £30,687
OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach used their funding to deliver Project Me, a 10-week training program for minority ethnic parents, an idea they developed in CSR 3 Round 1. This initiative supported the mental and emotional well-being of parent carers and provided practical tools such as financial literacy and communication skills increasing their ability to advocate not only for the services their children need but for themselves and their communities. They have secured additional funding to continue the training.
Enfield Somali Community Association
Grant amount: £23,500
Organisational capacity building, specifically service improvement and staff development was focus of ESCA’s CSR 3 project. Following an organisation review they identified areas for development and reviewed the emerging needs of their clients and implemented process changes. By investing in staff training, they are offering more effective, efficient, and empathetic service to clients facing financial and other difficulties. They have started the process for applying for Advice Quality Standard (AQS) accreditation.
Enfield Law Centre*
Grant amount: £29,999
The CSR 3 grant helped the Enfield Law Centre to improve the understanding of, and access to the legal system among small and local community organisations as well as provide targeted training in how to support vulnerable clients at an earlier stage. This specific focus also strengthened the organisation’s relationships with VCSE organisations which has aided easier sign posting across the borough.
Every Person Is Capable
Grant amount: £29,760
EPIC used the funding to convene a 'community hub approach (CHA)', to form a partnership with voluntary, health sector and statutory partners working across Harrow in addition to a learning partner. The partners shaped the CHA, utilising the voices of young people in the design. Having prototyped the CHA (with additional funding), EPIC and partners are now enhancing the model and devising funding strategies to enable the hub to offer more bespoke assistance for young people.
Havering Volunteer Centre
Grant amount: £32,400
Havering Volunteer Centre used their funding to facilitate stronger connections between local infrastructure organisations in the borough and delivered six skills workshops including governance and fundraising. They strengthened their own networks and facilitated connections between other voluntary sector organisations which enabled easier collaboration. They increased their One to One capacity building and supported an organisation to transition from a CIC to a charity.
Rainham Foodbank*
Grant amount: £27,056
Rainham Foodbank used their funding to recruit a network and development co-ordinator. The grant enabled the organisation to fulfil its ‘more than food’ ambition and built new networks and partnerships. They are now better connected to the community, and it is easier for the community to access their services. Additionally, they strengthened their evidence base which contributed to further funded opportunities.
Hillingdon Women's Centre
Grant amount: £30,512
Hillingdon Women’s Centre used their CSR 3 funding to uplift informal women-led community groups. HWC provided space and created leader networking opportunities with other more established groups and shared capacity building tools to help formalise their activities. They hosted an event for all the group’s members which not only connected individuals from different backgrounds and cultures to each other but also introduced HWC and their services to a wider demographic of women in the borough. They had secured funding to continue the Hub for a new cohort of group leaders.
Home-Start Hillingdon
Grant amount: £30,111
Home-Start Hillingdon used their funding to conduct research to understand the barriers preventing women from minority ethnic groups from volunteering for their organisation. As a result, they have introduced simpler and supported processes including simplifying forms and adding more in person information sessions to support application writing. The diversity of those accessing their volunteer opportunities has increased by 40 per cent and they are sharing their approach with other VCS groups.
Disability Advice and Support Hillingdon* (DASH)
Grant amount: £32,309
The funding of a new business development role enabled DASH to create of a formal network of local disability organisations. This led to sharing of information, expertise and resources, and a strengthening of a united voice. Local groups started to work together on developing tools, signposting on common issues for their clients and now plan partnership funding bids for increased impact.
Fairer Housing CIC
Grant amount: £29,000
CSR funding helped Fairer Housing strengthen Londoners collective voice by supporting a cohort of its individual members to advocate for themselves and engage with decision and policy makers at key events in Hounslow. They also supported smaller member organisations understand their own infrastructure needs and expanded and strengthened their own networks which enabled them raising awareness of the nuances of the housing crisis to a more people
Speak Out in Hounslow
Grant amount: £32,496
Speak Out used their funding to form a Collective Advocacy group with other organisations in Hounslow who also support those with learning disabilities and autism. They established strategic partnerships with local NHS social prescribers and community organisations, and actively bring issues to the borough’s health and infrastructure forums and panels. This collaboration has enabled them to deliver joint campaigns and represent community needs more effectively.
SHEWISE*
Grant amount: £30,780
The grant enabled SHEWISE to strengthen the voices and visibility of South Asian and Middle Eastern Women in Hounslow. Through their research, advocacy and training, they have extended their culturally sensitive domestic abuse support model to create bespoke support for their community. They collaborated with the local authority to create a bilingual training program designed to outline how domestic abuse manifests in South Asian communities. This will support the creation of a Women’s Wellbeing Hub and Wellbeing program in Hounslow.
NUTU Academy CIC
Grant amount: £31,500
NUTU used their grant to develop a digital Hub connecting voluntary and justice organizations that support ex-offenders and their families to community resources. This Hub promotes evidence-based, inclusive solutions to empower individuals and enhance their resilience. The project has expanded NUTU's network and visibility, leading to discussions with strategic organizations in London and the UK about collaboration.
African Health Policy Network
Grant Amount: £30,595
African Health Policy Network used their funding to carry out a strategic review of their organisation’s policies, services, and processes. They now have a long-term strategic plan which includes a different approach to bid writing, enhanced training for staff, volunteers and stakeholders and a Theory of Change. Following CSR, they are working more collaboratively with peer organisations, government bodies, and increasing numbers of service users.
One Place East (OPE)
Grant amount: £32,385
One Place East formed Sports and Physical Activity Network (SPAN) of VCS organisations, sports providers and policymakers to create more opportunities for disabled people in Redbridge to access sports and stay physically active. OPE conducted research to explore the challenges for both disabled people and those with long term health conditions. The Network will share their findings and use the data to advocate for change and more inclusive services for better access to physical activity.
Suvai Deaf East Community
Grant amount: £29,546
Suvai Deaf East Community are a community café and social hub run by Deaf People for Deaf people. They aim to empower Deaf People by providing information, clubs, and services In British Sign Language (BSL). They work to: Reduce isolation and the impact of poverty on Deaf people. They will use the grant to employ a coordinator who will be able to identify gaps in their service to ensure that all groups within the deaf community are represented and supported.
Somali Welfare Trust, Redbridge
Grant amount: £32,500
Somali Welfare Trust conducted research into the levels and types of exploitation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women in the care sector. Following a skills audit of the participants needs they offered mentoring and counselling to empower the research participants to help understand their workplace rights. With their new report, the organisation is campaigning and raising awareness of employment abuse with mainstream and voluntary sector organisations.
People Arise Now*
Grant amount: £32,485
The CSR 3 grant enabled People Arise Now to build relationships between marginalised young people, local authority officials and local police through football and workshops. This strengthened civic relationships with the Police and Youth Offending Service and amplified youth voice. Youth-led sessions shaped the design of first ‘Think, Listen, Engage!’ Youth Summit, which will be held in March 2025. The summit aims to empower young people to
Migrant Advocacy Service*
Grant amount: £27,530
MAS used their funding to improve access to information, advice, and guidance available to vulnerable migrants living, working or studying in Sutton. They invested in building stronger relationships with other local providers and undertook staff training. This enabled them to bid and win the tender to deliver the e-visa campaign in Sutton on behalf of the local authority. MAS also shared resources and tools with other CSR 3 grantees in the borough.
Sound Minds
Grant amount: £29,031
Sound Minds used their funding to build on the work from their development grant. The created Bridging Minds Forum (in partnership with three other VCS organisations), to focus on the wellbeing of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in Wandsworth living with mental ill health and their families and carers. By creating spaces sensitive to cultural needs, participants were able to speak about their mental health with their peers and professionals. During the forum sessions, participants and their family members created artworks which are now being exhibited at the centre.
Wandsworth Older People's Forum
Grant amount: £23,116
The grant is funding a part-time outreach for the Forum worker to engage with older people to gather research on their needs and provision gaps in the borough so they can advocate for services with the local authority and health providers. For the organisation, an audit of the current older people’s groups, will enable them to sign-post members to existing services in Wandsworth and increase benefit enrolment. The expected borough outcomes include better-informed decision-makers and more tailored services.
Round One grantees
31 organisation were awarded grants in round one of the Civil Society Roots 3 programme (2022-23).
Successful projects ranged from organisations looking to amplify the voices and needs of Londoners impacted by structural inequalities, working to support Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis to those scaling up successful place-based work in the City.
Find out more about the selected grantees below.
OAKonsult Disabilities Outreach Ltd
Grant amount: £4,988 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £5,988
OAKonsult works with parents and carers of children with special needs and disabilities in Bromley. The funding will go towards the development of Project Me, a holistic program including workshops, training, practical sessions, focus groups, and therapeutic content for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic parents and carers in Bromley.
London Gypsies and Travellers
Grant amount: £50,000 Total: £50,000
London Gypsies and Travellers is an organisation which challenges social exclusion and discrimination, working for change in partnership with Gypsies and Travellers. The funding will allow them to create a Bromley based network for Gypsy and Traveller residents supported by a community development worker and a community engagement worker through a range of activities.
Bromley Experts by Experience
Grant amount: £50,000 Additional access grants: £3,996 Total: £53,996
Bromley Experts by Experience is a user-led Charity for Deaf and Disabled People and Carers in Bromley. The funding will allow them to engage directly with key stakeholders, such as local Councillors and impairment-specific groups, to enable disabled-led action for change in Bromley and to bring together smaller, impairment-specific groups that operate in silos and struggle to get their voices heard.
Better Living Partners CIC
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Better Living Partners deliver programmes of support to those living with long term health conditions in Bromley. The funding will allow for evidence gathering including routine data from Public Health Bromley and dedicated time and support for research activity for up to 6 months.
Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation
Grant amount: £4,680 Total: £4,680
Middle Eastern Women and Society works with women to protect them from violence both at home and in the wider community, help them rebuild their lives through tailored advice, guidance and support, and campaign for their equality and human rights to be respected. The grant would help them create links with local support services and organise discussions with service providers and LGBTQ+ women from Enfield.
Grassroots
Grant amount: £3,950 Total: £3,950
Grassroots (Hosted by Edmonton Methodist Church) is a network of 8 organisations that are committed to ending inequalities in food security in Enfield. The funding will allow them to develop their skills through professional Theory of Change training as well as enable members to attend through the provision of childcare support and travel expenses.
Enfield Racial Equality Council
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Enfield Racial Equality Council’s mission is to actively promote and seek to implement a racially just, fair and equitable society which will enhance the quality of life for all who live, work and learn in the London Borough of Enfield. The funding will allow them to reinstate their Strategic Race and Equalities Forum (SREF), which enables in-depth focus on equalities issues to be put forward for discussion and action.
Effective Transition CIC
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Effective Transition, Success Club and Independent Parent Hub (hosted by Edmonton Community Partnership) support young people by helping them to overcome both the internal and external barriers that can prevent them from fulfilling their potential. They do this through football and other sport activities, mentoring and other support services. The funding will go towards the creation of a focus group for a talk shop which will include strategic partners and a few individuals from the wider community to discuss their lived experiences and the needs in the wider community.
Enfield Women’s Centre
Grant amount: £4,225 Additional access grants: £600 Total: £4,825
Enfield Women’s Centre works with women in Enfield. The funding will allow them to research how a resourced network of mutual interest can strengthen the capacity of women’s groups in the borough and help carry their voices to the decision makers thus supporting disadvantaged women and girls.
Harrow Womens' Centre
Grant amount: £5,000 Total: £5,000
Harrow Women’s Centre works with and supports women in Harrow. The funding will go towards developing
networks of local organisations and building on the evidence from previous focus groups by running a new series of focus groups, aimed at identifying issues and solutions experienced by women in Harrow.
Every Person Is Capable
Grant amount: £3,435 Total: £3,435
EPIC (Every Person is Capable) is a social enterprise which aims to empower, enlighten and educate people to achieve their true potential through arts and culture by creating mindful spaces for self-expansion. The funding will allow them to develop their capacity through training as well as establish and develop partnerships with other mental health support organisations in Harrow.
Family Information Group
Grant amount: £17,740 Total: £17,740
The Family Information Group offer advice and information to parents as well as providing childcare for children with disabilities and children in need. The funding will go towards establishing a local network, bringing together parents and staff from key statutory services and other stakeholders.
You and Me Counselling
Grant amount: £49,870 Additional access grants: £1,500 Total: £51,370
You and Me Counselling are a charity that works with children, young people, adults and their families who are facing emotional
and psychological distress. They offer group and individual counselling both in school and private settings. The funding would support relationship and capacity building across their services.
Hillingdon Women's Centre
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £200 Total: £5,200
Hillingdon Women’s Centre supports women in Hillingdon. The funding would allow staff to develop The Women’s Hub project, which aims to create a women-only safe space where women can network, share knowledge and promote sisterhood.
Fairer Housing (hosted by Advice 4 Renters)
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Fairer Housing (FH) wants to bring together individuals living in unsatisfactory housing and grassroots community groups in Hounslow to raise awareness of the elements that underpin the housing crisis and work in partnership to address these. The grant would be used to raise collective voice and advocacy.
Protégé DNA Ltd
Grant amount: £49,500 Total: £49,500
Protégé supports disadvantaged young people who are struggling with school, with life and with learning, they take referrals from their local authority and local schools to work with and nurture the potential of local young people in Hounslow. Funding would support with training and capacity building of services.
Speak Out in Hounslow
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Speak Out in Hounslow works with people with learning disabilities & autism in the London Borough of Hounslow. The funding aims would be to consult with their members and their parents /carers in order to establish what areas of advocacy are a priority for them, so that the knowledge required to ensure positive outcomes is developed.
Deaf Roots
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Deaf Roots works to address Deaf and Hard-Of-Hearing people’s long-term needs through access to work and other support services. The funding will go towards adapting an existing model used well by communities elsewhere and testing the model with the d/Deaf community in and around Newham.
Money A+E UK CIC
Grant amount: £49,999 Total: £49,999
Money A&E work with community groups in Newham, their mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible, independent, and effective money advice and education. Funding would be used to improve collaboration and increase organisational capacity. Newham £49,999
Calm Minds-UK
Grant amount: £3,072 Total: £3,072
Calm Minds provide support, advocacy and training programmes for migrants and refugees living in the UK. This grant would work towards building and improving volunteer recruitment and capacity.
NUTU Academy CIC
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £750 Total: £5,750
NUTU Academy CIC is a social enterprise working with communities and institutions, particularly BAME ones. Through research, they deliver activities to address issues of empowerment, poverty, skills acquisition, training and social inclusion. Development funding will enable a professional researcher and community specialists to engage formally with ex/offenders aged 16-25, parents/guardians, stakeholders and community groups to explore systemic issues, structural inequalities in the criminal justice sector, how they impact families and individuals and how they may be addressed.
Act Up! Newham CIC
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £630 Total: £5,630
Act Up! Newham is a disabled-led organisation seeking to challenge structural inequalities. The funding will help pilot a collaborative partnership between Act Up! Newham and Boom-Wow Theatre to test and develop an inclusive methodology to provide administrative support to companies led by people with learning disabilities and/or neuro-diversities.
Women's Health and Family Services
Grant amount: £50,000 Total: £50,000
Women’s Health & Family Services works for equal access to healthcare for disadvantaged women and their families, through awareness-raising, advocacy and the provision of relevant health services, they challenge discrimination and campaign for people’s rights and choices to improve the health and wellbeing of women. Their flagship programme is “Maternity Mates” which supports pregnant women. The funding would support relationship building through extended partnerships.
Adanna Women’s Support Group
Grant amount: £4,620 Total: £4,620
Adanna Women’s Support Group supports and empowers women and girls from BAME communities who have experienced domestic abuse. The funding will go towards training staff to become DV advocates and offer culturally sensitive advice and support, as well as conducting focus groups with women and other key stakeholders in the community.
Empowering Deaf Society
Grant amount: £49,874 Additional access grants: £4,000 Total: £53,874
Empowering Deaf Society provides services that are designed to meet the needs of the deaf community that reside in London. The funding will allow them to address capacity issues due to communication difficulties. It will fund British Sign Language training for staff in key stakeholder organisations as well as volunteers and also develop Deaf empowerment networks in the borough.
People Arise Now
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
People Arise Now provides support for struggling families, and those who have been, or are at risk of being, impacted by crime. The funding will allow them to replicate an existing successful network in Sutton, bringing together residents and statutory services.
Sutton Women's Centre
Grant amount: £48,840 Total: £48,840
An organisation in Sutton supporting victims of domestic abuse, their mission: To provide a safe, women only space where women can access specialist support, advice, information and education to help them achieve their potential; develop their skills; and live their lives free from domestic abuse. The funding would allow them to recruit and train volunteers as well as create a network of residents to have a good understanding of domestic violence issues.
A Place At My Table
Grant amount: £47,847 Additional access grants: £3,250 Total: £51,097
Sound Minds
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Sound Minds is a mental health charity transforming lives through music, film and art. This grant would go towards building on an existing close community of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic service users and linking them with mental health networks (including statutory services) in the borough.
Roots to Change CIC
Grant amount: £5,000 Total: £5,000
Roots to Change is a new Wandsworth-based community interest company which aims to look at the root causes of violence against women and girls in Wandsworth. The funding will help develop a comprehensive analysis of some of the root and underlying causes and drivers of violence, exploitation and abuse directed at women and girls in the borough.
Neko Trust
Grant amount: £5,000 Additional access grants: £1,000 Total: £6,000
Neko aims to address the widespread gender, diversity and class imbalances in the creative industries, supporting people to progress no matter who they are or where they come from. The funding will help them build partnerships that develop their understanding of key challenges, focusing on Wandsworth community organisations and agencies who support women with lived experience of the criminal justice system, survivors of domestic abuse, caregivers, women with mental ill health and refugees.
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